This specification relates to information retrieval.
Many search systems allow users to enter search queries for entities (e.g., government agencies, schools, businesses, and places of interests) and the entities' associated locations. Generally, the user enters one or more search terms to express his or her information needs and also specifies a geographic area for which search results are desired. The search systems base the determination of the user's interest on the search terms and the geographic limitation the user has entered and return search results that list entities (e.g., listings of businesses) that have locations at or near the specified geographic area.
Some search systems rank search results based on how well the search results match the search terms, geographic limitations and other search limitations specified in the search queries. In some search systems, each candidate search result is scored based at least in part on the distance between a location associated with the candidate search result and a reference location. An example reference location can be the geometric center of the specified geographic area. The candidate search results are then ranked according to their scores.